[Coverage of a new exhibition that celebrates and recreates elements of the life and work of the artist and activist Prince illustrates what seems to be an accelerating trend toward immersive experiences designed to evoke various forms of presence. Some of the features and origins of the trend are explored in the story from the San Francisco Chronicle below (see the original version for six different images). For more resources on this topic see the websites for the VR Immersive Experiences Catalogue of The Institut Français and the Immersive Experience Catalogue of the Immersive Experiences (IMEX) Lab at Penn State…

[This story from the University of Oregon describes a positive use of presence to increase human empathy with endangered wildlife, in this case sea turtles, and thereby spur environmental action. For more information, images and a two-minute video see the Project Shell website, and for details about the research see the new article in Scientific Reports. –Matthew] Virtual reality gives humans a turtle’s-eye view of wildlife By Laurel Hamers, University Communications June 22, 2022 A virtual reality simulation designed by a UO professor could help spur people to environmental action. Participants in Project Shell don a virtual reality headset and…

[This first-person report from Grist describes the touring virtual reality experience designed to create the “overview effect” of being in space above our planet. The author doesn’t use the term presence but refers to several forms of it, along with several familiar barriers to sustained, effective presence illusions. See the original story for two more images. The study by University of Pennsylvania researchers that the author mentions is likely “The Overview Effect: Awe and Self-Transcendent Experience in Space Flight” in Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice. See also three articles in the collection “Positive Technology: Designing E-experiences for Positive…

[Although he’s obviously not an objective observer, the author of this opinion column in Newsweek makes a compelling argument for taking steps now to avoid the damaging effects of a new digital divide based on presence-evoking virtual reality technology. –Matthew] [Image: Credit: Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images] Opinion If We Want Children to Thrive in the Future, It’s Time to Bring VR to Schools By Andrew Hawken, cofounder and CEO of Mesmerise June 29, 2022 Every technological revolution presents a dilemma: How far can we leap ahead without leaving anyone behind? Today, 15 years after the advent of smartphones and…

[This story from VRScout reminded me of the “infinite regression” or “simulations within simulations” scenario (see Jones, Lombard, and Jasak, 2011), portrayed in the 1999 film The Thirteenth Floor. To demonstrate how VR can be (and in the future will more easily and commonly be) used to create immersive experiences, developer Quentin Valembois spent 24 hours in virtual reality creating a virtual reality game. See the original story for two more images and watch the 9:31 minute video via YouTube. On a related topic, see the New World Notes blog post, “Why Are We Not Having Conferences About The Metaverse…

[Geography students at the National University of Singapore (NUS) can learn about earthquakes by experiencing vivid simulations from a variety of perspectives thanks to a combination of virtual reality and vibrating platforms. See the original version of this story for two additional images. For more on this topic see the ISPR Presence News posts “Big Shaker mobile earthquake simulator used to increase awareness and safety” (October 2019) and “An earthquake simulator to treat PTSD in New Zealand” (June 2012). –Matthew] [Image: The VR tech adds a touch of realism to the learning experience, allowing students to immerse themselves in various…